Darning-last.



. Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC JANSEN, OF SHEBOYGAN, IVISCONSIN.

DARNING-LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,989, dated December 26, 1899.

Application filed May 25, 1899. Serial lie-718,224. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it raw/y concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC JANSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Darning-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in darning-m achines which are especially adapted and intended for family use.

The object of my invention is to provide a darner having a base with an opening and a block adapted to hold the part to be darned within the opening and two sets of hooks, each set arranged upon a pivoted support and one support connected to the other, whereby when one support is oscillated the other is correspondingly oscillated, so that when one set of hooks moves upward the other set moves downward.

In the accompanying, drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a darner embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached View of the lower support and its set of hooks.

Referring now to the drawings, A indicates a base which is provided at one end with an opening D, through which the stocking E or other article to be darned is inserted. The material to be darned is held within this opening D by means of a block F, which is slightly smaller than said opening. The block F is placed upon the opposite side of the fabric to be darned from which the base A is placed, and then the block is forced within the opening D, carrying the fabric E, as clearly illustrated, and holding it in this position for the darning operation. At the opposite end of the base are intermediately. pivotally supported the two hook blocks or heads G and H. These blocks G and H are supported between and by the projections I at opposite edges of the base A and through the medium of the pivotal pins J, which enter openings in the said projections and extend laterally from the center of the ends of the said blocks. Projecting toward the opening D and carried by these blocks or heads G and H are the two sets of hooks K and L, the upper set K being carried by the upper block G and the lower setL carried by the lower block H. These two blocks G and H are hinged together at their inner sides by means of the eyes M on the adjacent faces of the blocks and through which passes a pivotal rod N. This construction provides a hinge or pivotal connection for the two blocks at a point between the pivotal points of the blocks,whereby when the upper block G is 0scillated by placing the thumb at either side of its center the lower block is also oscillated. By pressing downward upon the inner edge of the upper block the hooks carried thereby are depressed and the hooks carried by the lower block are raised,wher eby their ends are separated for a purpose to be presently described.

In the operation of darning the thread P is first sewed to the fabric at one side of the opening it is desired to cover and a plurality of loops Q formed by the thread, which are caught alternately over the hooks of the two blocks, as clearly illustrated. The blocks are then adapted to hold the loops separately for the passage. of a needle with the thread therebetween, the thread being first caught in the fabric at one side of the opening, passed through between the loops, then caught in the fabric at the opposite side, and then passed back and forth in the same manner, catching the thread at each side of the opening in the fabric, thereby uniting the darned portion to the fabric or stocking, as will be readily understood.

I am aware that it is old to provide a darning-machine with a stationary set of hooks and a movable set of hooks; but in this instance the carriers for the hooks are hinged together, so that a slighter movement of these blocks will serve to separate the loops, and which also has the advantage of always having one set of the loops practicallyin engagement with the fabric that is being darned. Also in these prior machines the base A has been provided with hooks at each end, whereas in my method and construction I provide hooks at but one end of the base and then hold the fabric to be darned through an opening in the base and connect the darning-thread directly to the fabric and then loop it over the hooks. This greatly simplifies and cheapens the construction of a machine of this character.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patout, is-

1. A darnin g apparatus, comprising a base, a fabric-holder at one end of the base, two blocks independently pivoted to said base and at the opposite end thereof, each block provided with hooks projecting inwardly approximately parallel with the base, and a hinged connection between the said block at the inner side of and independent of their pivotal point, whereby when one of said blocks is oscillated in one direction the other block is oscillated in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

2. A darning apparatus comprising a base having at one end a fabric-holder, two blocks, each block independently pivoted to said base and at the opposite end thereof, one block situated above the other, and a hinged connection uniting the said blocks at points between independent of and eccentric to their pivotal points, each of said blocks provided with hooks projecting approximately parallel the base, whereby when one block oscillates in one direction the other is oscillated in the opposite direction, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A darning apparatus comprising a base having at one end a fabric-clamp, at its opposite end projections, two blocks pivoted between the projections one above the other, hooks projecting in the same direction from the said blocks, and the adjacent faces of the blocks pivotally connected, the parts adapted to cooperate as and for the purpose described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set JAooBUs DE SMID'J, OTTO CARTI-IAUS. 

